Miri weather in May

In May, Miri sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 26°C, with 159 mm of rain across 21.5 wet days and about 12.2 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in May, and the air most often feels miserable.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Miri's 3rd-clearest and 12th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Miri's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
1st warmest
Overnight low
26°
12th coldest
Rainfall
159 mm
21.5 wet days
Daylight
12 h 12 min
6:14 AM – 6:26 PM
Cloud cover
78%
3rd clearest
Wind
9 km/h
12th windiest
Solar energy
5.62 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.9
out of 10

Miri is city in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Density
301/km²
people per km²
Founded
1910

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 29°C through the month.

A typical May day in Miri reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 26°C overnight — a 2°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 28°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs on par with April and on par with June.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12926
22926
32926
42926
52926
62926
72926
82926
92926
102926
112926
122926
132927
142927
152927
162927
172927
182927
192927
202927
212927
222927
232927
242927
252927
262927
272927
282927
292926
302926
312926

How May really feels in Miri

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 31 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
31
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

The story in May is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.

Miri weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 1st-warmest and 9th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 25°20022.611.84.3
Feb27° / 25°1111711.94.9
Mar28° / 26°8316.6125.2
Apr28° / 26°12420.612.14.2
May29° / 26°15921.512.23.9
Jun29° / 26°20119.412.24.1
Jul29° / 26°18719.312.24.3
Aug29° / 26°18320.412.14.1
Sep28° / 26°19522.7123.8
Oct28° / 26°28027.111.93.6
Nov28° / 26°27628.111.83.4
Dec28° / 25°2932811.73.6

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 10% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 78%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
11981
22080
32080
41981
51981
61981
71981
81981
92080
102179
112179
122278
132278
142476
152476
162575
172575
182575
192575
202575
212575
222575
232476
242476
252476
262377
272278
282278
292179
302080
311981

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Miri gets around 159 mm of rain over 21.5 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 70% and peaks near 77% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%80%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
177
276
376
476
576
675
775
874
973
1072
1172
1271
1370
1469
1568
1667
1766
1865
1965
2064
2164
2264
2365
2465
2565
2666
2767
2867
2968
3069
3169

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the miserable band about 84% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11486
21486
31486
41486
51486
61585
71585
81585
91585
101585
111585
121585
131486
141486
151486
161585
171585
181585
191585
201585
211684
221684
231783
241783
251783
261882
271882
281981
291981
302080
312179

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May, the calmest month.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
199calm
209calm
219calm
229calm
239calm
249calm
259calm
269calm
279calm
289calm
299calm
309calm
319calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 12 min at the start of May to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:17 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 6:26 PM to 6:28 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.26:176:26
212.26:166:26
312.26:166:26
412.26:166:26
512.26:166:26
612.26:166:26
712.26:156:26
812.26:156:26
912.26:156:26
1012.26:156:26
1112.26:156:26
1212.26:156:26
1312.26:156:26
1412.26:146:26
1512.26:146:26
1612.26:146:26
1712.26:146:26
1812.26:146:26
1912.26:146:27
2012.26:146:27
2112.26:146:27
2212.26:146:27
2312.26:146:27
2412.26:146:27
2512.26:146:27
2612.26:146:28
2712.26:146:28
2812.26:146:28
2912.26:146:28
3012.26:146:28
3112.26:146:28

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.62 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.68 kWh/m² to a high of 5.96 kWh/m² in April across the year — May's 5.62 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.7Bright
25.7Bright
35.7Bright
45.7Bright
55.7Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.6Bright
145.6Bright
155.6Bright
165.6Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.6Bright
235.6Bright
245.6Bright
255.6Bright
265.6Bright
275.5Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
315.5Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Miri

In seasonPeak

In May, Miri sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Miri sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Pacific typhoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Miri?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.9
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
5.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

May is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Miri.

What to pack for Miri in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Miri sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 26°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 22 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Miri in May

The nearest coast averages about 30°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 13 km away) is warmest in June at about 30°C and coldest in February near 27°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Warm
Feb27Warm
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May30Tropical
Jun30Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug30Tropical
Sep30Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Miri in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Miri peaks around February 17 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near November 22 at about 11 (extreme).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeFeb 17UV 14Nov 22UV 11
UV index (midday)Level
Jan13Extreme
Feb14Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr14Extreme
May13Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov11Extreme
Dec11Extreme

Air quality in Miri in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Miri is worst in May — around 68 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.1× the cleanest month (October, 13 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

020406080JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModeratePoorModerateMay 1764 µg/m³Oct 1815 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan17Moderate
Feb48Poor
Mar47Poor
Apr34Moderate
May68Unhealthy
Jun35Moderate
Jul23Moderate
Aug23Moderate
Sep28Moderate
Oct13Moderate
Nov24Moderate
Dec24Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Miri?

Miri sits at 4.4°N, 114.0°E, 8 m above sea level, in Malaysia. The nearest listed city is Kuala Belait, 34 km away.

Topography around Miri

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Miri.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Miri has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 87 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 112 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 531 m.

The land around Miri is covered by trees (33%), water (31%) and artificial surfaces (25%) within 3 km, water (44%) and trees (40%) within 16 km, and trees (57%) and water (40%) within 80 km.

3 km
87 m
16 km
112 m
80 km
531 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Kuala Belait 34 km · Marudi 43 km · Seria 44 km · Beluru 48 km · Liang 64 km · Niah 67 km · Tutong 86 km · Sengkurong 108 km

Malaysia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type C / G / M
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 32% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,125
2025
Happiness
6.0 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
95%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.7
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
22.5
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
High
EF EPI 581
Religion
Muslim 64%Buddhist 19%Christian 9%Hindu 6%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Miri (4.3993°, 113.9916°, elevation 8 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).